U-T announces job cuts, new initiatives

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Union-Tribune said Wednesday that it is eliminating 112 positions as part of a number of initiatives that also includes new editorial and advertising offerings.

The company announced an advertising program that will allow micro-zoning for small businesses at lower, localized rates, as well as an editorial effort that will produce more local coverage of targeted communities.

It also announced a planned redesign of the company's SignOnSanDiego.com Web site, as well as an investment in a pagination publishing system it said will significantly streamline the newspaper's production process.

The company also said that as part of an effort to retain top performers, it will partially reverse pay cuts for remaining employees that were implemented in February.

“These are just a few things we have in mind to help us strengthen our relationship with the San Diego community and with our advertisers and readers,” Union-Tribune Publisher Ed Moss said. “We are the region's leading local media company, and we are passionate about our goal to be a strong company for many years to come.”

Wednesday's job cuts follow the elimination of 192 positions in May, a few days after the sale of the newspaper to Beverly Hills investment firm Platinum Equity by longtime owner The Copley Press of La Jolla. The company said at the time that it had about 850 remaining employees.

Moss said the Union-Tribune has already started to implement new programs for advertisers that will enable it to gain revenue from a wide range of businesses, from one-person shops to large companies.

“These initiatives are producing results, as revenue has increased since these new strategies were put in place,” Moss said.

Moss said editorial plans include increasing the story count in the newspaper as well as capitalizing on emerging partnerships with other local media outlets.

The new Neighborhood Express Project, launched last month, aims to bring hyper-local coverage to targeted communities in San Diego. The SignOn makeover will include new features, including social networking tools, easier-to-navigate content and an expansion of the mobile Web site.

The Union-Tribune is San Diego County's leading local media company, with products reaching more than 1.3 million readers in a given week.

The changes come amid a difficult period for newspapers across the country, as they deal with a decrease in advertising that has accelerated with the recession.